The National Briefing

What are teachers telling NAPTOSA about crime, drugs, gangsterism and weapons in schools? What powers do teachers have to discipline learners who break school rules? How are teachers dealing with threats and intimidation from learners?  Guest: Ditshwanelo Mokoena Chairperson of Gauteng Naptosa    

Gauteng schools are facing an intensified fight against crime, substance abuse, gangsterism and the possession of dangerous weapons. Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile has so far joined and led search-and-seizure operations at 23 schools, with law-enforcement and security partners. The operations have uncovered knives, suspected illegal substances, disposable vapes, cigarettes and other prohibit...

Western Cape e-hailing drivers are raising serious concerns about safety, driver verification, documentation and the management of staging areas at Cape Town International Airport. Drivers allege that some operators may be using invalid documentation or failing to meet platform requirements, while they also point to a number of violent incidents that they say have heightened tensions between local...

The deployment of around 200 soldiers to the Cape Flats under Operation Prosper was intended to help tackle the area’s persistent gang violence and high murder rate. Between April and June this year, 646 people were murdered on the Cape Flats — 95 fewer than during the same period last year. That’s still an average of about seven murders every day. Guest: Nkosikhona Swaartbo...

Strait of Hormuz, Red Sea and the Black Sea - Afrika What Do Disruptions in Major Trade Routes Mean for Food Security? Conflicts in the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea and the Black Sea are disrupting the movement of food, fuel and fertiliser, with devastating consequences worldwide. The flow of food, fuel, fertiliser, and food between countries is essential to global food security, from farmers gro...

The Global Briefing: Thousands of passengers are facing continued disruption after a major technical failure at Britain’s air-traffic control provider, NATS. Iran is raising petrol prices for its heaviest consumers, as the country grapples with mounting economic pressure amid the war. Pakistan is facing a worrying expansion of violence in Balochistan, with militant attacks spreading into Pas...

Municipal Watch: Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Velenkosini Hlabisa, says that the Ditsobotla Local Municipality in Lichtenburg, North West, continues to improve its delivery of basic services. Hlabisa conducted a follow-up visit to the municipality to assess progress on service delivery.  But residents are complaining that the national government's intervention in...

Guest: Lindi Dlamini - non-executive director of African Bank Group and executive director of Rodean Girls School  

Border control at the top of the agenda in IMC briefing: Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi says that significant progress has been made in strengthening border management and improving coordination among agencies operating at ports of entry and vulnerable border areas Guest: Lt General Tebello Mosikili - Deputy National Police Commissioner   

The Global Briefing: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Latin America, beginning a three-country tour of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. The Iran war is threatening to widen further. Iran-backed Houthi forces have attacked four Saudi cities, hitting civilian and economic sites and injuring at least 73 people. Russia and North Korea have opened their first dedicated road bridge across th...

South Africa is rapidly urbanising, while facing growing pressure on housing, infrastructure and municipal services — and the question is whether we have enough architectural and technical expertise to build safely for the future. Statistics South Africa reports that 12.1% of households lived in informal dwellings in 2025, rising to 16% in metropolitan areas. Who should be held accountable w...

Sudan – Khartoum Leaked Intelligence Sheds New Light on the Sudan Military's Alleged Chlorine Weapons Programme The war in Sudan is facing renewed scrutiny over allegations that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan developed and deployed chlorine-based weapons, with newly reported intelligence documents offering the most detailed account yet of an alleged prog...

The ANC has taken its dispute with the Electoral Commission to the Electoral Court, challenging the exclusion of 181 of its candidates from the 4 November local government elections. The party says the candidates’ details were captured and uploaded onto the IEC’s system before the deadline, but the final electronic submission was not completed. Does this expose deeper problems within t...

China’s inflation ticks higher in August 2. AI boom fuels a new wave of dealmaking 3. Market update  

Cape Town ratepayers are raising the alarm over rising property valuations, municipal tariffs and the growing cost of living, warning that household rates bills are becoming increasingly unaffordable. The Cape Town Collective Ratepayers’ Association says the City’s spending plans are placing too much of the financial burden on residents, while the City maintains that Cape Town has the...

Tanzania - Zanzibar Husband of Tanzania's president dies while undergoing treatment The husband of Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan died Monday while undergoing treatment in a hospital in Zanzibar, the country’s vice president said. Hafidh Ameir Hassan became Tanzania’s first gentleman in 2021, when his wife took office as the country's first female president following th...

Jaguar Land Rover joins growing list of European carmakers cutting costs 2. Japan’s stronger growth puts global markets on BOJ watch 3. Market update    

The ANC is taking its fight over its councillor candidates to the Electoral Court, challenging the IEC’s decision not to register party candidates in six municipalities across KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and the Free State. What does this legal challenge mean for the electoral process, and how might the Electoral Court approach the dispute? Guest: Terry Tselane, former IEC Chairperson &n...

Market Brief with Ntaoleng Lechela - Business Reporter Jaguar Land Rover joins growing list of European carmakers cutting costs 2. Japan’s stronger growth puts global markets on BOJ watch 3. Market update

An inmate escape from the Rooigrond Correctional Centre in the North West has raised fresh questions about security, overcrowding and infrastructure failures at the facility. POPCRU says the escape exposes longstanding problems, including overcrowding, broken infrastructure, water shortages, inadequate maintenance and concerns over staffing and security equipment. The union is calling for an urgen...

South Africa is bracing for a potentially disappointing economic growth reading this morning, with second-quarter GDP expected to show the economy stagnated or contracted. Rising fuel costs, weak mining activity, renewed geopolitical tensions and subdued consumer spending are adding to the pressure. This puts the country’s fragile growth recovery under renewed scrutiny. What does this weaker...

Municipal Watch: The water situation in the Masilonya municipality areas continue to efface water problems. This time around the DA is warning that the Winburg area in the Free State could face day zero if nothing is done. They go on to say that the Wolwas Dam, which was constructed as a backup water source for Winburg during periods of water shortages, is currently empty. Guest: Diphapang&nb...

Briefing Focus: Basic Education Employment Initiative - Is public employment simply a stopgap while we wait for economic growth — or does it need to become a permanent pillar of South Africa’s employment strategy? And importantly, what are the returns for the public purse when these programmes are also improving outcomes in schools and communities? Guest: Zama Zulu - Executiv...

Reality Check with Lindi Dlamini: The role of women in education leadership - From personal journey to leadership philosophy  Guest: Lindi Dlamini - non-executive director of African Bank Group and executive director of Rodean Girls School    

Built in Mzansi: Local Roots Africa was founded in 2021 by Khaya Tshabalala, after he lost his job during the COVID lockdowns and spent almost two years unemployed. Today, Local Roots Africa has its own IMBEWU brand, offering knitwear, apparel, footwear and accessories, while also supporting other local brands by providing access to markets. Guest: Khaya Tshabalala, Founder and Operations Manager...